CALege

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

ASSEMBLY BILLNo. 2781

Introduced by Committee on Judiciary (Assembly Members Kalra (Chair), Bauer-Kahan, Bryan, Connolly, Harabedian, Pacheco, Papan, Stefani, and Zbur)

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Macedo)

March 11, 2026

An act to amend Section 116.230 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and to amend Sections 70613, 70613.5, 70614, and 70621 of the Government Code, relating to courts.

Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires a filing fee of $50 in a small claims case where the demand is more than $1,500 but less than or equal to $5,000, and a filing fee of $75 if the amount of the demand in a small claims case is more than $5,000.

This bill would instead require a filing fee of $50 for small claims cases with a demand of more than $1,500 but less than or equal to $6,250, and a filing fee of $75 for cases if the amount of the demand is more than $6,250.

Existing law requires a uniform filing fee of $205 for the first paper in a case where the amount demanded, excluding attorney’s fees and costs, is $10,000 or less. Existing law requires the first paper to state whether the amount demanded exceeds or does not exceed $10,000. Existing law also requires a $205 filing fee for a petition for a writ or a notice of appeal to the appellative division of the superior court if the amount demanded in a limited civil case, excluding attorney’s fees and costs, is $10,000 or less.

This bill would revise these provisions to apply to cases where the amount demanded, excluding attorney’s fees and costs, is $12,500 or less.

Existing law requires, if a plaintiff or petitioner files an amended complaint or other initial pleading that increases the amount demanded to an amount that exceeds $10,000 but does not exceed $25,000, a fee equal to the difference between the original filing fee and the filing fee for the new amount demanded to be charged to make up the difference between the filing fees. Existing law also requires, if a party files a cross-complaint, amended cross-complaint, or amendment to a cross-complaint demanding an amount that exceeds $10,000 but does not exceed $25,000, a fee equal to the difference between the original filing fee and the filing fee for the new amount to be charged to make up the difference between the filing fees.

This bill would revise these provisions to apply to cases where the revised amount demanded exceeds $12,500 but does not exceed $35,000.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 116.230 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:

116.230.

(a) In a small claims case, the clerk of the court shall charge and collect only those fees authorized under this chapter.

(b) If the party filing a claim has filed 12 or fewer small claims in the state within the previous 12 months, the filing fee is the following:

(1) Thirty dollars ($30) if the amount of the demand is one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) or less.

(2) Fifty dollars ($50) if the amount of the demand is more than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) but less than or equal to six thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($6,250).

(3) Seventy-five dollars ($75) if the amount of the demand is more than six thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($6,250).

(c) If the party has filed more than 12 other small claims in the state within the previous 12 months, the filing fee is one hundred dollars ($100).

(d) (1) If, after having filed a claim and paid the required fee under paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), a party files an amended claim or amendment to a claim that raises the amount of the demand so that the filing fee under paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) would be charged, the filing fee for the amended claim or amendment is twenty dollars ($20).

(2) If, after having filed a claim and paid the required fee under paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), a party files an amended claim or amendment to a claim that raises the amount of the demand so that the filing fee under paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) would be charged, the filing fee for the amended claim or amendment is twenty-five dollars ($25).

(3) If, after having filed a claim and paid the required fee under paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), a party files an amended claim or amendment to a claim that raises the amount of the demand so that the filing fee under paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) would be charged, the filing fee for the amended claim or amendment is forty-five dollars ($45).

(4) The additional fees paid under this subdivision are due upon filing. The court shall not reimburse a party if the party’s claim is amended to demand a lower amount that falls within the range for a filing fee lower than that originally paid.

(e) Each party filing a claim shall file a declaration with the claim stating whether that party has filed more than 12 other small claims in the state within the last 12 months.

(f) The clerk of the court shall deposit fees collected under this section into a bank account established for this purpose by the Judicial Council and maintained under rules adopted by or trial court financial policies and procedures authorized by the Judicial Council under subdivision (a) of Section 77206 of the Government Code. The deposits shall be made as required under Section 68085.1 of the Government Code and trial court financial policies and procedures authorized by the Judicial Council.

(g) (1) The Judicial Council shall distribute six dollars ($6) of each thirty-dollar ($30) fee, eight dollars ($8) of each fifty-dollar ($50) fee, ten dollars ($10) of each seventy-five-dollar ($75) fee, and fourteen dollars ($14) of each one-hundred-dollar ($100) fee collected under subdivision (b) or (c) to a special account in the county in which the court is located to be used for the small claims advisory services described in Section 116.940, or, if the small claims advisory services are administered by the court, to the court. The Judicial Council shall also distribute two dollars ($2) of each seventy-five-dollar ($75) fee collected under subdivision (b) to the law library fund in the county in which the court is located.

(2) From the fees collected under subdivision (d), the Judicial Council shall distribute two dollars ($2) to the law library fund in the county in which the court is located, and three dollars ($3) to the small claims advisory services described in Section 116.940, or, if the small claims advisory services are administered by the court, to the court.

(3) Records of these moneys shall be available from the Judicial Council for inspection by the public on request.

(4) Nothing in this section precludes the court or county from contracting with a third party to provide small claims advisory services as described in Section 116.940.

(h) The remainder of the fees collected under subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) shall be transmitted monthly to the Controller for deposit in the Trial Court Trust Fund.

(i) All money distributed under this section to be used for small claims advisory services shall be used only for providing those services as described in Section 116.940. Nothing in this section shall preclude the county or the court from procuring other funding to comply with the requirements of Section 116.940.

SEC. 2.

Section 70613 of the Government Code is amended to read:

70613.

(a) The uniform fee for filing the first paper in a limited civil case is three hundred thirty dollars ($330), except as provided in subdivision (b).

(b) In a case where the amount demanded, excluding attorney’s fees and costs, is twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) or less, the uniform fee for filing the first paper is two hundred five dollars ($205). The first page of the first paper shall state whether the amount demanded exceeds or does not exceed twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500).

(c) This section applies to the initial complaint, petition, or application, and any papers transmitted from another court on the transfer of a civil action or proceeding, but does not include documents filed pursuant to Section 491.150, 704.750, or 708.160 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(d) The fee for a paper filed under this section shall be distributed as provided in Section 68085.4.

(e) The fee shall be waived in any action for damages against a defendant, based upon the defendant’s commission of a felony offense, upon presentation to the clerk of the court of a certified copy of the abstract of judgment of conviction of the defendant of the felony giving rise to the claim for damages. If the plaintiff would have been entitled to recover those fees from the defendant had they been paid, the court may assess the amount of the waived fees against the defendant and order the defendant to pay that sum to the court.

SEC. 3.

Section 70613.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

70613.5.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 472 of the Code of Civil Procedure, if a plaintiff or petitioner who previously was charged the filing fee under subdivision (b) of Section 70613 files an amended complaint or other initial pleading that increases the amount demanded to an amount that exceeds twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) but does not exceed thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000), so that the higher filing fee under subdivision (a) of Section 70613 would have been required if such a demand had been made in the original pleading, a fee equal to the difference between the fee for the original filing fee and the filing fee for the new amount demanded shall be charged to make up the difference between the filing fees. This fee shall be distributed to the Trial Court Trust Fund.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 472 of the Code of Civil Procedure, if a party who previously was charged the filing fee under subdivision (b) of Section 70614 files a cross-complaint, amended cross-complaint, or amendment to a cross-complaint demanding an amount that exceeds twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) but does not exceed thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000), a fee equal to the difference between the fee for the original filing fee and the filing fee under subdivision (a) of Section 70614 shall be charged to make up the difference between the filing fees. This fee shall be distributed to the Trial Court Trust Fund.

(c) The court shall not reimburse a party if the party’s complaint or cross-complaint is amended to demand a lower amount that falls within the range for a filing fee lower than that originally paid.

SEC. 4.

Section 70614 of the Government Code is amended to read:

70614.

(a) The uniform fee for filing the first paper in a limited civil case on behalf of any party other than a plaintiff is three hundred thirty dollars ($330), except as provided in subdivision (b).

(d) The fee for a paper filed under this section shall be distributed as provided in Section 68085.4.

SEC. 5.

Section 70621 of the Government Code is amended to read:

70621.

(a) (1) The fee for filing a notice of appeal to the appellate division of the superior court in a limited civil case is three hundred thirty dollars ($330), except as provided in subdivision (b).

(2) The fee for filing a petition for a writ within the original jurisdiction of the appellate division of the superior court is three hundred thirty dollars ($330), except as provided in subdivision (b).

(b) If the amount demanded in the limited civil case, excluding attorney’s fees and costs, is twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) or less, the fee for filing a petition for a writ or a notice of appeal to the appellate division of the superior court is two hundred five dollars ($205).

(d) The Judicial Council may make rules governing the time and method of payment of the fees in this section and providing for excuse.